New bike news

18 January 2013 - 08:30

Scooter of the Year: Yamaha Ray

Some things are a given in the motoring industry. One of them being that whenever Yamaha applies its magic to anything on two wheels, it will turn out to be one hell of a fun ride. Yamaha has been in India for a long time now but it kept its distance from the scooter market. Until now.

Yamaha finally threw its hat in the ring with the Ray, after taking its own sweet time. Blame the delay on Yamaha’s typical long drawn R&D cycle, or its obsessive insistence on getting everything right the first time. Either way, the Ray’s a winner. It’s also our Scooter of the Year.

The Ray’s nimble handling, favourable power-to-weight ratio and sleek design combine to make this one hell of a product. And all these attributes come alive as you rush through narrow city lanes or in traffic. Its compact proportions make it easy to squeeze through tight spots. And though the Ray’s 110cc motor might not be as quick as the 125cc motor on other scooters, the low kerb weight makes the Ray quick on its feet.

It’s built as a scooter but Yamaha’s bike attributes have seeped through. Such as the Ray’s ability to take corners easily, or that sporty seating stance, which we’ve seen on no other scooter before. Yamaha went overboard with the whole women-centric approach for the Ray, but marketing aside, the fact is, the Yamaha Ray is one hell of a scooter.